Freeze the Dusk
by Rabbitdash of Dusk Clan
Summary: What if almost all of the cats in Shadow and ThunderClan were killed by sickness, and they joined together to make DuskClan? This is my story on how I think it would be. Based off of a role play I've done.
1. Allegiances and Prologue

**Hey! This is my first story, so please no flames! But I would really appreciate it if I could get at least five reviews on every chapter. **

Lake Territory Allegiance

Summary - What if almost _all _of Thunder Clan and Shadow Clan's cats were killed, and they joined together to make Dusk Clan? This is how it would be. (I suck at summaries, just so you know.)

DuskClan

Leader - Duskstar; a black she-cat with silver paws; mother of Rabbitdash and Snowsight

Deputy - Maplefur; a large brown she-cat with tan markings

Medicine Cat - Tallpoppy; a long-legged tabby with green eyes

**Apprentice, Fallenpaw**

Warriors -

Foxface; a red-orange tom with green eyes and large white paws **Apprentice, Barkpaw**

Heatherbreeze; a tall, creamy-furred she-cat with kind eyes

Rosedawn; a white she-cat whose fur tinges red in the sunlight

** Apprentice, Beepaw**

Ashfur; a smoky gray-pelted tom with amber eyes

Jayfeather; a blind tom with bright blue eyes and a gray pelt

Sunblaze; a tawny-furred tom with dark eyes

**Apprentice, Starlingpaw**

Rabbitdash; a pretty black she-cat with white markings, tabby stripes, and lavender eyes

Snowsight; a creamy-white she-cat with black markings, a long tail, and ice blue eyes

Apprentices-

Barkpaw; a brown tom with bright orange eyes

Beepaw; a yellow she-cat with black paws, ear tips, tail tip, and a black muzzle

Starlingpaw; a black and white tom with milky white eyes

Queens -

Nightflower; a dark-pelted she-cat; the mother of Ashfur's kits, Fernkit, Coldkit, and Streamkit

Elders -

Toadpelt; the oldest she-cat in DuskClan, with a mottled brown pelt

Blindstep; a blind, once pretty calico she-cat with colorful fur

Bumblepelt; an irritable yellow-furred tom

WindClan

Leader - Redstar; scrawny she-cat with a red pelt

Deputy - Brambleshadow; a black-furred tom with white on his belly and chest

**Apprentice, Cinderpaw**

Medicine Cat - Fireleaf; dark orange-furred tom with a black tinged stomach

Warriors -

Ivyleaf; a she-cat with black, gray, orange, white, and brown fur

Blueclaw; a black and white tortoiseshell she-cat with bluish claws

**Apprentice, Brackenpaw**

Waspsting; a large jet-black tabby tom with white markings

Shreddedclaw; a golden tom with large ears - mate of Streamflow

Streamflow; a dark she-cat with blue eyes - mother of Rainclaw, Blueclaw, and Brambleshadow

Queens -

Featherfall; a light brown tabby she-cat with baby-blue eyes; mother of Brambleshadow's kits, Fawnkit, Sleetkit, and Fallenkit

Rainclaw; a white she-cat with black ears and ice blue eyes, about to have her first litter of kits; father unknown

Apprentices -

Brackenpaw; a brown and yellow-furred tom

Cinderpaw; a smoky-furred she-cat with bright blue eyes

Elders -

Mousewind; a brown she-cat with deep blue eyes

Halfear; an old gray tom with only half of his left ear

RiverClan

Leader - Tawnystar; tom with intimidating green eyes and golden fur

Deputy - Loudstep; a large white tom with heavy pawsteps

**Apprentice, Stonepaw**

Medicine Cat - Specklewind; a light brown tabby she-cat with white speckles and paws

Warriors -

Leopardcloud; an ebony Bengal with green eyes and large ears

Whisperclaw; a white tabby tom with an unusually short tail

Runningleap; a fast gray tom with green eyes

**Apprentice, Leafpaw**

Dustfoot; a tabby tortoiseshell tom with white stripes

Rockbelly; a gray she-cat with a white muzzle and blue eyes

**Apprentice, Fishpaw**

Batflight; a black tom with an unusually long snout

Graywing; a lean, silver tabby she-cat

Queens -

Fernflower; a light yellow tabby with green eyes, mother of Whisperclaw's kit, Gorsekit

Brindlestep; a large multi-colored she-cat with a sharp tongue, about to have her first litter of kits with Loudstep

Apprentices -

Stonepaw; a gray tom with piercing yellow eyes

Fishpaw; a curious white and silver she-cat

Leafpaw; a tall, light colored tabby tom with dark brown stripes

Elders -

Yellowclaw; a large gray she-cat with matted fur and yellowish claws

Patchfur; a silver and black tortoiseshell tom

Prologue

_A white she-cat with black _ear tips pads through a short fern tunnel and emerges into a small clearing. She scents the air for a moment, and a dark orange tom walks out from a hollow to greet her.

"Hello, Fireleaf. I know that it's past moonhigh, but I think that I'm getting sick," the she-cat says.

"Really, Rainclaw? That would be bad, you're an asset to our Clan," he purrs.

"I know." Rainclaw mutters worriedly.

Fireleaf proceeds to look her over for symptoms, but when he's done, he steps back with wide eyes, staring at her now slightly swollen belly.

"Rainclaw," he says, "You're going to have kits. You'd better move into the nursery soon," and with that he nods her away with a bewildered look, and she makes her way through the fern tunnel.

**MUAHAHA If you keep reading, you will find out why he is so harsh acting around her, unless you've already guessed. :3 **


	2. DuskClan

Coldkit's POV:

A large gray kit stumbles out of a bracken den and stretches.

"Coldkit, get back here, you little speckled ball of fur! You need to be groomed for your apprentice ceremony today!" a dark she-cat hisses softly, appearing in the entrance to the nursery.

He whips around, mewling, "I can groom my own fur, mother!"

The she-cat steps forward, despite the kit's protests, and begins to groom his fur until it's soft and fluffy.

"Now, Coldkit. Don't go rolling in the dirt again, because I still have to go finish grooming Fernkit. DarkForest forbid she ever be groomed..." Nightflower gives him a stern look before she turns around and disappears into the nursery again. Coldkit shakes out his fur and takes a look around camp.

Foxface is eating a piece of freshkill by the rotlog and Jetbreeze is carrying some leaves to her den. Rabbitdash is talking to Maplefur, the Clan deputy. Maplefur looks annoyed at something; probably the fact that she can't have her sunhigh patrol. Duskforest had called off all border patrols and hunting parties, as she always has.

Coldkit shrugs Maplefur's annoyance off. Should he not have his apprentice ceremony just so a few cats can go looking for trouble at the WindClan and RiverClan borders?

He runs to the nursery and steps inside to see Fernkit being smothered with licks by Nightflower. Fernkit's hunched over, her ears flattened to her head. Coldkit lets out a purr of laughter at the sight of his sister.

Streamkit trots up to him. "Come on!" she mews, racing out of the nursery. He follows, quickly overtaking her. "I'll beat you to the freshkill pile!" he yowls jubilantly. Suddenly he crashes into a pair of tan tabby paws.

Coldkit swallows, daring to look up. Two amber eyes stare back at him. "Careful where you walk, kit," Duststorm sneers, his lip curled in disgust. "Doesn't your mother teach you?"

"She does!" Coldkit protests defiantly. He unsheathes his tiny claws into the dirt at his paws, letting out a squeaky growl. I can take that old tabby any day!

Duststorm flicks his tail dismissively, stalking away to the freshkill pile where Rowanleaf and Mushroomheart are sharing a lizard.

Coldkit turns away to see Streamkit's eyes wide with awe."Wow!" she squeals. "You're so brave, Coldkit! Have you even seen Duststorm's claws? They're as long as a tiger's!"

Coldkit purrs at his sister's praise. At least somebody recognizes how fierce I am!

His thought is interrupted by Duskforest's yowl. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath Highbranch for a Clan meeting!"

Cats start appearing on the ground in front of Highbranch, so she continues, "Coldkit, Fernkit, Streamkit," she beckons them forward with her tail.

"This is a proud day for DuskClan, by naming apprentices, we show that DuskClan will survive and remain strong," Duskforest says, receiving a few agreeing yowls from the cats below her. The she-cat's blue eyes rest on Coldpaw and his littermates as they crouch at the bottom of Highbranch.

Duskforest launches herself from Highbranch, landing lightly on her paws. She silently walks forward until she stands in front of Coldkit, Streamkit and Fernkit.

"Coldkit, from this moment until you are a warrior, your name will be Coldpaw. Streamkit, yours will be Streampaw. And Fernkit, Fernpaw. Rabbitdash, you will mentor Coldpaw. Sunblaze, you will mentor Streampaw. And Jayfeather, you will mentor Fernpaw. You three, I know you will pass on your loyalty, wisdom, and courage to these apprentices and give them the skills of a DuskClan warrior."

Sunblaze, Jayfeather and Rabbitdash step forward to lightly touch noses with their new apprentices. Coldpaw stares up at Rabbitdash as she stands tall. The Clan chants loudly, "Streampaw! Coldpaw! Fernpaw!"

The apprentices are swarmed by the Clan. Nightflower covers her kits' ears with licks proudly.

"We also have gathered here to complete three warrior ceremonies," Duskforest meows, interrupting the excitement.

"Starlingpaw, Beepaw and Barkpaw, come here."

The three apprentices quiver with anticipation as they make their ways to the front of the crowd in front of Duskforest. They sit there, eyes gleaming, as Duskforest begins to speak again, "I, Duskforest, leader of DuskClan, call upon the DarkForest to look down on these apprentices, Barkpaw, Starlingpaw, and Beepaw. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turns. Beepaw, Barkpaw, Starlingpaw, do you promise to uphold the Code of DarkForest, and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

All three apprentices nod and mew, "I do."

"Then by the powers of the DarkForest, I give you your warrior names; Starlingpaw, from this moment on, your name will be Starlingflight. Beepaw, you shall be named Beefur, and Barkpaw, you will now be Barktail. DarkForest honor your bravery, strength, wit, and stealth, and we welcome you as full warriors of DuskClan!" she purrs warmly as the newly named warriors pad forward to lick Duskforest's shoulder. The clan yowls, "Barktail! Beefur! Starlingflight!"

"As custom, the newly named warriors shall live in the territory for a quarter moon, feeding themselves and finding places to sleep to prove themselves worthy of the warrior title." Duskforest's voice rises above the commotion.

Coldpaw finishes congratulating the warriors and wishing them good luck before padding over to his mentor, Rabbitdash. "Will we begin training right now?" he mewls excitedly.

"Not yet," she says, but seeing his crestfallen expression, quickly finishes, "I need to show you the territory first. Would you like Fernpaw and Streampaw to come as well?"

"Sure! It should be more exciting with my siblings coming along with us."

Rabbitdash takes off to round up the others, while Coldpaw thinks, Someday, I'll be leader of DuskClan.


	3. WindClan

ChapterTwo: WindClan

Brambleshadow's POV:

The warm light of sunhigh seeps through gaps in the roof as a large black tom squeezes through the entrance of a gorse den. Seeing the light tabby he's looking for, he purrs quietly.

Two baby-blue eyes open at the sound. "Brambleshadow? Is that you?" comes a she-cat's light voice.

"Yes, Featherfall, it's me. I came to check on you. Are you feeling fine?" he says.

"Yes, I'm okay," she mews, rubbing her muzzle against his. "How've you been doi- !" the question breaks off in a yowl. Her eyes wide with panic, she manages to gasp, "Go get Fireleaf!"

His eyes glaze over with indecision. I can't leave her, but if I don't, she might get hurt. Finally, he dashes off to the medicine cat den, yowling, "Fireleaf! Fireleaf!"

A dark orange tom pads out from a den made of ferns, eyes wide in alarm. "What is it, Brambleshadow? Are you hurt?" Suddenly his eyes dawn with understanding. He slides back into the den, grabbing poppy seeds, raspberry leaves and a stick. "Let's go."

Brambleshadow nods and runs back to the nursery, Fireleaf at his tail. As they grow closer to the den, they start to hear a thin, eerie wailing.

Brambleshadow's eyes cloud with worry as he stares at Featherfall. Fireleaf feeds her the poppy seeds, and then tells her to bite the stick. "You need to push, Featherfall. That's the only way the pain will end."

Featherfall nods, and a small kit falls to the moss. Brambleshadow lunges forward and nips the sac open, licking the light brown tabby she-kit furiously, while Fireleaf helps Featherfall. Two kits fall out in the same sac, and Brambleshadow nips that one open as well, licking them.

Featherfall goes limp, and Brambleshadow mews softly, "Featherfall. Featherfall, the kits are okay. You have two toms and a she-cat." Brambleshadow nudges her flank, and her head lifts. He's not sure if she's even heard him.

"My kits. Where are my kits?" she rasps faintly. Fireleaf sets the kits in Featherfall's nest and nudges them nearer to her belly. They wriggle around, trying to find good places to suckle.

Brambleshadow feels a rush of pride for these kits as their pink mouths gape in silent gasps for air. _The two kits that were born in the same sac look a little weak, though, _Brambleshadow worries.

"The kits that were born in the same sac will need me watching over them frequently for the next day or two, so Featherfall, you will need to stay in the medicine cat den for a while," Fireleaf meows apologetically.

Featherfall nods, and a gray she-cat pads into the nursery, settling down on a nest. Her fluffy ears strain for a second and she scents the air. She gets out of her nest and cautiously steps towards Featherfall's. Peering down, she purrs, noticing the newest members of the Clan. She pads back to her own nest after a moment.

"Featherfall?" Brambleshadow mews, "What are we going to call the kits?"

Featherfall looks up. Almost immediately she purrs, "The first one, the she-kit, will be Fawnkit. Her pelt is light brown with white speckles, almost like a deer's. And the gray tom should be named Sleetkit. You name the last one, he looks like you."

Brambleshadow starts in surprise. "Well... The black one does look like me..." As Brambleshadow is speaking, the black kit struggles to his paws, only to flop back down onto the ground, mewling pitifully. "What do you think about 'Fallenkit'?" Brambleshadow asks timidly.

Featherfall's eyes light up. "That's a great name. Don't you think, Raintail?" she directs the question towards the gray queen in the nest near the nursery entrance.

Raintail's head flicks up. Obviously, Featherfall has interrupted her train of thought. "What? Oh, yes. Brilliant, in fact," she purrs warmly.

Brambleshadow licks his mate's head, reminding her to go to the medicine cat den, sends an adoring look to his kits, and heads off to organize the sunset patrol.

Brambleshadow opens his jaws, smelling the air. The musty scent of DuskClan floats toward him off of the breeze. He pads forward, Cloudpaw and Ivyleaf following silently. At this end of the border, a few large trees grow.

Waspsting bounds through the heather towards the patrol. "I've renewed the scent markings," he announces breathlessly. "But I detected a trace of badger."

Ivyleaf's ears prick, as if expecting a badger to come crashing through the tall grasses around her.

Maybe there is.

"If there's a badger, we should tell Firestar. But first we should follow its scent and see if it leads to a set," Brambleshadow says. "Maybe it was just passing through the territory. Is the trail fresh?" He looks to Waspsting.

The black-furred tom nods, his tail flicking. "It should be easy to follow." he replies, racing off in the direction he had come from.

Following hard on his paws, the rest of the patrol scent the air as they try to catch a wisp of badger in the air. Waspsting slows to a stop, his nostrils flaring.

The WindClan warrior gestures with his tail to a flattened clump of gorse. All of the grass around it is trampled to the ground.

Ivyleaf wrinkles her nose, eyes narrowed in disgust. "The putrid scent of badger. I'm not hungry anymore." she remarks, stepping with delicate paws to follow the trail.

Even if it were to begin to rain and the scent were to wash away the patrol would still be able to find their way along the trail by following the crushed alfalfa and heather on the moor ground, Brambleshadow thinks.

Soon the patrol arrives at the Oak Log. The huge tree looks as if a starry warrior had reached down with their paw from StarClan and overturned the tree, leaving its roots sticking halfway in the air. The roots form a cave in the soil.

Cloudpaw looks at the Oak Log with huge eyes. "I smell badger. It's burning my nose!" The apprentice squeaks, drawing a paw over his nose as if to wipe away the foul scent.

Brambleshadow motions with his tail for the other cats in the patrol to move closer. He glances at the darkening sky. "This is definitely the set. Can any cat tell how many badgers there are?" he whispers.

Cloudpaw twitches his nose. "I think there's only one." he finally mews. Ivyleaf nods in agreement.

Brambleshadow takes a deep breath. "Let's lure the badger out of its set so that we can attack it and maybe send it fleeing from the territory. We can't go into the set, because there wouldn't be enough room to fight, and we could become trapped. Ivyleaf? Go gather some prey with Cloudpaw. Waspsting and I will work out a strategy on how we should approach the set."

Ivyleaf dips her head, racing off and vanishing into the gorse. Cloudpaw follows, his tail streaming out behind him.

Brambleshadow turns to Waspsting. "So I think that you and I should take up positions on either side of -" he breaks off as the badger scent grows stronger. He whips around just in time to see a huge black paw aiming for him.

Brambleshadow sits up, dazed, to see Waspsting hissing angrily at the badger as he swipes his claws across its muzzle, leaving a trail of blood swelling across its fur.

Brambleshadow yowls, "Cloudpaw, Ivyleaf! Help!" as he throws himself at the badger. He leaps into the air and digs his teeth into the badger's ear, his claws digging into its shoulder for a paw hold.

The badger swings its mighty head, tossing Brambleshadow to the ground. He lets out another battle yowl as the badger glares malevolently at him with beady eyes.

He races forward and digs his claws into the badger's shoulder again, raking down its foreleg. It bats him away with its other paw, snarling angrily as Waspsting digs his teeth into its hindleg.

The badger stumbles backwards and steps on Brambleshadow. Darkness bubbles up behind his eyes and threatens to drown him in its watery depths.


	4. RiverClan

ChapterThree: RiverClan

Specklewind's POV:

A light brown cat pads through the marsh in the dimming sunlight, gathering different herbs as she goes. She opens her mouth slightly to taste the air, and catches a scent.

"Burdock root," she thinks. "I've been needing a new store, especially after that group of rats the plagued our camp." Very recently, many rats had come into the forest, and the RiverClan cats had had to fight them off. Burdock root's used on rat bites.

Specklewind digs her paws into the ground, accumulating quite a large amount of the knobbly root. She gathers it in her mouth, as well as the other herbs she collected when she was out - juniper, water mint, and borage leaves.

She weaves her way through the undergrowth towards RiverClan camp. As she is about to swim through a stream into camp, she's struck by an idea. Setting down her bundle of herbs, she washes her paws, as they're covered in mud.

Grabbing the leaves and roots in her jaws again, Specklewind swims gracefully through the stream. For a medicine cat, she's surprisingly muscular under her thick tan pelt. Her head bobs above the water as she easily holds her head above the dark liquid.

By now, Specklewind has made her way through the stream into camp, and is greeted by several friendly mews. She nods and pads to her den, setting down her burden and separating it into several piles.

When she's done, she quietly trots across camp to snatch up a couple of pieces of prey from the fresh-kill pile. As she picks out a thrush and a water vole, she senses somebody come up behind her.

Staring down at the fresh-kill pile, a lean black tom clears his throat next to her.

"Yes, Batflight?" Specklewind sighs, turning to face him. He's probably wondering if she has something for a bellyache, or maybe a sore throat.

"Well," he begins, "I was wondering if maybe you would like to share this trout with me?" his green eyes flick down uncertainly to a shiny fish that lay at his paws.

She starts in surprise. "Um, okay. Just let me give these to Leafpaw and Dustfoot," she meows, motioning towards the thrush and vole that sit by her feet.

Dustfoot and Leafpaw had been staying in the medicine cat den to get their wounds from the rats healed.

"Great," Batflight mewls enthusiastically as she pads past Tawnystar to get to her den. He watches her as she passes.

Specklewind turns around a thornbush overhanging the stream.

"Here," she drops the prey into the nests that reside in the hole in the bank. She usually keeps her supplies there, but for now the hole's being used for her two injured patients.

Dustfoot looks up in surprise at her. "Why the hurry? You seem in a rush," he says.

"Oh, just Batflight promised to share a trout with me," she explains apologetically. "Or I would stay in here and sort herbs. Besides, I'm quite hungry after a long day of nursing sick and injured cats." she purrs in amusement.

"Oh. Okay," he mews, "I was going to ask the same thing," he takes a bite of the water vole to hide his expression.

"I'm sorry. I'll eat with you later, okay?"

"That would be okay," Dustfoot immediately perks up.

She rolls her eyes and leaves, watching her paws and taking her time to get to the warriors den. Raising her eyes, she sees Batflight sitting outside with the trout.

"Hello," she mews politely to him, settling down on her belly.

"Hey," he says, nudging the trout towards her. "You can have the first bite."

Specklewind preoccupies herself by dipping her head to take a bite of the fish as Batflight stands up to move nearer to her.

He shyly leans down to take the next bite, swallowing it quickly. "So," he mews after they finish eating, "Would you like to go on a walk?"

Specklewind can tell he wants to tell her something in private, so she sidesteps the question easily. "Sorry, but I have to tend to Leafpaw and Dustfoot's rat wounds. Maybe later."

Upon hearing Dustfoot's name, Batflight scowls, but says, "Okay. See you."

"See you, Batflight," she stifles a purr of amusement. Sighing, Specklewind pads back to the medicine cat den. It's actually my den, now, she realizes with a pang of sorrow.

Just a few days ago, her mentor Cheetahpool had passed on to StarClan. She had grown old, and had known that she would die soon enough. The Clan was affected greatly, as Cheetahpool had been respected and liked in all of the Clans.

Now, as Specklewind stands at the entrance of her den staring at Silverpelt, she knows that Cheetahpool is up in their ranks.

She mashes up the burdock root and applies it to Leafpaw and Dustfoot's wounds, telling them that they could go back to their dens soon.

Sighing again, she relaxes into her mossy nest, aware that Dustfoot's amber gaze is trained on her from the herb store the entire time.

Specklewind sniffs a leaf, it's edges dark with rot. "May I come in, Specklewind?" comes a mew from outside the herb store.

"Sure, Tanglepaw." Specklewind raised her head as the calico apprentice pads in, her mismatched eyes gleaming and a mouse hanging by its tail from her mouth.

Tanglepaw sets down the mouse, dipping her head. "Do you have any mouse bile I could use?" she asks. "I need to check the elders for ticks."

The apprentice almost looks excited, Specklewind thinks, suppressing a purr. I bet she's hoping they'll tell her a story or two.

"Sure," she replies, leaning down. She carefully extracts the mouse bile and then lifts the moss onto a stick. "Wash your paws in running water afterwards. If you lick your paws, you'll have the taste in your mouth for a quarter moon!"

Tanglepaw nods, taking the stick from Specklewind and trotting out of the den. Specklewind leans down to take a bite of the mouse. The pretty she-cat lifts her head hearing, "Cats of RiverClan! Gather for a Clan meeting!"

Specklewind pads through the reeds into the main clearing. Tawnystar is standing on the Tallboulder, his eyes green fire. His tail is twitching angrily, his claws sinking into the moss that covers the Tallboulder.

Specklewind joins her Clanmates with a bewildered look at Leopardcloud. The Bengal just twitches her ears at Tawnystar.

"Leopardcloud, tell us what your patrol found." he rumbles.

Leopardcloud leaps onto the Tallboulder next to Tawnystar as all eyes turn to her. "I lead a patrol to the DuskClan border." she begins. "We caught traces of DuskClan cats, and the smells were fresh. We followed the scent trail and found a DuskClan hunting patrol far on our side of the border. The filthy crow-food eaters got what they deserved, but who's to say they won't come back?"

Brambletail and Whisperclaw leap to their paws. Rockbreath lets out a yowl of outrage, greeted by many others.

"How dare they?"

"Will you mention this at the Gathering?"

"We should lead a patrol to attack their camp!"

"They can't get away with this!"

"Fox dung!"

Tawnystar waves his tail for silence. "We will question them at the next Gathering. That is all." he mews, leaping down from the Tallboulder and slipping into his den, leaving Leopardcloud caught in a rush of questions.


	5. DawnClan

ChapterFour: DuskClan

Duskforest's POV:

Duskforest sees Ashwhisker slip into camp with Fernpaw and Duststorm behind him, their jaws laden with freshkill. Maplefur follows with nothing in her jaws.

"Where did you find so much?" Toadpelt asks, eyeing the freshkill appreciatively.

"Yes, where?" asks Duskforest. "Every cat knows that prey numbers have dwindled." The cats' fur is ruffled, almost hanging off in clumps. And Duststorm is limping. No, it must be my imagination, Duskforest thinks to herself.

Ashwhisker sets down his mouthful of prey. "Near the WindClan border," he replies, shooting an amber glance at his patrol, as if daring them to challenge his answer.

Duskforest narrows her eyes, but flicks her tail. "Fernpaw, take some freshkill to the elders and then you can rest." she orders the apprentice, who races off to the elders' den with a thrush and a frog.

"Maplefur?" Duskforest calls after the brown she-cat, who had turned towards the warriors den. "Organize a border patrol." The DuskClan deputy dips her head, and then walks up to Rosedawn and Frozensky, mewing to them.

Duskforest pads to the apprentice den. She peeks inside to find it empty. She settles down right inside the den when Coldpaw and Streampaw scamper in, chatting animatedly about their training sessions.

"Both of you," Duskforest mews. "I want you to change the bedding in every den. And get Fernpaw to help you." The two apprentices reluctantly leave, and as Duskforest watches, they both disappear into the elders' den.

Duskforest sits at the entrance of her den, contemplating on who should be taken to the Gathering that night. She sighs, looking up at Silverpelt.

Almost immediately, she knows who to take to the Gathering; Maplefur, Foxface, Streampaw, Fernpaw, Barktail, Rosedawn, Starlingflight, Coldpaw, Bumblepelt, and Beefur. She leaves out Duststorm.

Before ThunderClan and ShadowClan had meshed, Duststorm had come from ShadowClan to ThunderClan, claiming to be a rogue named Storm. They had renamed him Whitestorm.

When Duskforest had still been Duskflight, Whitestorm had told her that he was in love with her. Soon after that, Duskflight had found out she was to have his kits.

Then, he had revealed his true reason for joining ThunderClan; to spy. Duskflight was horrified and betrayed. Duststorm had just left. After the Great Illness, though, when the two Clans joined together, they had to learn to live with each other.

Duskforest sighed, remembering the prophecy that had been given to her kit a half moon after the kit was born. Duskforest had chosen only to share this prophecy with Jetbreeze and Maplefur. Rabbitkit had dreamt that DarkForest and StarClan were fighting over her and Snowkit.

Maplefur steps up to stand next to Duskforest, snapping her out of her reverie. "Who have you chosen to come to the Gathering?" she murmurs.

Duskforest sighs, repeating the names she has come up with. "Do you think that's good enough?"

"Yes, I do," Maplefur pauses slightly before going on, "Have you seen Rabbitdash and Jayfeather? They weren't in camp earlier, and I didn't send them out on any patrols." she muses.

Duskforest is about to open her mouth to say that she hasn't seen them when both cats pad through the entrance, pelts brushing.

As always when Duskforest sees Jayfeather, she feels that familiar ominous shiver down her back.

"Rabbitdash," she beckons to the black she-cat with her long tail.

"Yes, Duskforest?" Rabbitdash asks warily, her lavender eyes guarded.

"Maplefur and I have noticed that you weren't in camp most of today, and I was wondering where you'd gone to." Duskforest carefully avoids mentioning Jayfeather. Rabbitdash knows that Duskforest doesn't trust him much.

Rabbitdash's fur bristles to almost twice it's normal size. "That's none of your business."

Duskforest doesn't flinch, and meows, "Well, I had just begun to wonder where you'd gotten to. Being your leader, after all, I have a right to know. And, as your mother, I need to know."

"No, you don't. This is a very private matter, and don't go asking Jayfeather for information, either. He wouldn't tell you," Rabbitdash tries to flatten down her chest fur with a couple of quick licks.

Sighing, Duskforest yowls the names of the cats going to the Gathering, seeing Duststorm's disappointed face as he turns away. She makes a last minute decision and calls out his name. He turns in disbelief, and runs to the camp entrance where the others are waiting.

_Let's get this over with_, Duskforest thinks as she bounds towards the throng of cats.


	6. WindClan  Cure

ChapterFive: WindClan

Raintail's POV:

WindClan surges over the tree-bridge with strong limbs, their eyes glowing bright as the moon rises. The little island is what Gatherings have been held on for StarClan knows how many moons.  
>A gray tom falls behind a little bit, wheezing. A couple of warriors whip around with concern for their Clanmate. "It's okay," he croaks, "I'll be fine."<br>The warriors aren't so sure, but do as they're told. Nobody questions what the tom says - he's a highly respected elder.  
>As the cats race to the clearing, they begin to hear the murmurings of others. DuskClan and RiverClan must already be here, a fluffy gray she-cat thinks.<br>Her suspicions are confirmed as WindClan breaks through the bushes into the large clearing. Many cats are sitting in groups with others of their age.  
>The she-cat pads over to a group he knows well, made up of Rabbitdash, Runningleap, and Silverwing. "Hello, Raintail." she's greeted by Runningleap rumbling meow.<br>Raintail dips her head in return, as Rabbitdash wonders, "Where is Brambleshadow?"  
>Raintail sighs, "There is sickness in our camp, and our medicine cat Fireleaf isn't sure what it is. He's afraid it may be blackcough. Brambleshadow's caught the sickness. But he's even weaker because he's recovering from a badger attack." Her shoulders hunch over as she worries over her littermate's fate. He's in the paws of StarClan now.<br>Silverwing drapes her tail over Raintail's shoulders comfortingly.  
>"What about Heatherbreeze and Snowsight? Why aren't they here?" asks Runningleap, directing this question towards Rabbitdash.<br>"They weren't invited to the Gathering," she shrugs. "It's happened before."  
>Silverwing is about to reply when she's cut off by Firestar, standing on one of the branches of the Great Oak. She's yowled for silence.<br>"I will begin. Featherfall recently gave birth to three healthy kits: Fawnkit, Sleetkit, and Fallenkit. Brambleshadow has been injured in a fight with a badger. We also have illness ravaging through our camp."  
>As Firestar's speaking, Fireleaf scrambles onto one of the lowest branches of the tree and addresses the Clans.<br>"We have illness in our camp, in which we have no idea which herb to use. I think it may be blackcough. I would appreciate it if you would allow me to share with your medicine cats for a few moments about these herbs." Raintail is thankful that the medicine cat doesn't mention the sickness and how Firestar lost one of her lives to it.  
>Fireleaf jumps down from the branch as the other two medicine cats, Jetbreeze and Specklewind, push their ways to the front of the crowd. The medicine cats sit in a small group, their heads together, as Fireleaf's apprentice Thunderpaw bounces around them.<br>Duskforest steps forward to speak. "The prey is running well in DuskClan. We have begun the training of three new apprentices: Streampaw, Fernpaw, and Coldpaw. We also have three cats joining the midst of our warriors: Starlingflight, Barktail, and Beefur." She purrs quietly as the Clans yowl their congratulations.  
>Tawnystar then pads forward, his green eyes demanding attention and respect. "We don't have any big news, though I believe that our Clan's medicine cat Specklewind can help WindClan. We once had this illness. It was transferred to us when we joined with ShadowClan in the Old Forest," to his words, some of the DuskClan cats hiss angrily.<br>"But ShadowClan went to get help from ThunderClan, and Cinderpelt created a remedie to heal the sick cats. ShadowClan had taught this remedie to us, and our medicine cat apprentices are required to remember it. I believe we can help you." Tawnystar growls.  
>Firestar sighs. "As much as I hate to admit it, we need help, and we would be in your debt." she dips her head as she leads her cats into the night.<br>Specklewind follows the WindClan cats out of the clearing. Maybe it will work, Raintail thinks as she follows her Clan out of the moonlit clearing.

Raintail watches Specklewind mix together a few herbs with a fierce certainty. Fireleaf sits to the side, muttering each of the herbs that Specklewind adds to the mixture.  
>Brambleshadow lies in a mossy nest, his flank rising and falling feebly. He has a coughing fit, which causes Fireleaf to turn to her for a moment before going back to memorizing the herbs that Specklewind is using. Thunderpaw races over to comfort the sickly deputy.<br>Raintail blinks slowly down at her brother. Specklewind lets out a gasp of relief, and when Raintail looks up, she explains, "I've finished it." She feeds the mixture to Brambleshadow and then leans down to touch Brambleshadow's nose to her own. "He still has that wretched fever. I've already tried feverfew and borage leaves!" Specklewind's voice rises, her eyes wide with fear. Would WindClan hold a grudge against her for losing a Clanmate? Raintail wonders.  
>Thunderpaw breathes something into Fireleaf's ear and leaves the den.<br>Fireleaf flicks Specklewind's shoulder with his tail. "It's okay. I have some lavender in my stores." The orange tomcat pads farther into his den, reappearing with a few purplish leaves in his mouth.  
>Specklewind's sighs with relief, putting some of the lavender into chewing up the leaves and putting some of the pulp in Brambleshadow's mouth. Brambleshadow swallows, whimpering slightly as the plant slides down his sore throat. Fireleaf rests his forehead on his shoulder comfortingly.<br>He looks up. "I'm not sure if he'll be alright," he begins. "Specklewind, you're fine to leave. Thank you so much for showing me that remedie. I-"  
>Thunderpaw and Tallwind pad into the den, Blackclaw supported between the two of them. The two WindClan cats set him gently into the dirt, and he lets out a groan of pain. "I think Blackclaw might have blackcough, as well, Fireleaf." reports Thunderpaw, his apprentice. Her paws knead the dirt in worry, eyes round with uncertainty.<br>Fireleaf gives Blackclaw a sniff, nostrils flaring. "Specklewind?" he mews, whirling to the tan-furred she-cat. "Can you tell if Blackclaw is sick?"  
>Specklewind nods, warily scooting over until she sits in front of Blackclaw. She parts her jaws, taking in his scent. The RiverClan medicine cat pries open his jaws with two claws, looking down into his throat. "His throat is swollen, and he reeks like Twoleg rubbish." Specklewind nudges his belly with her paw.<br>Blackclaw's legs jerk out in front of him, his eyes screwed up in pain.  
>Thunderpaw stares at the black and white warrior, horror plain on her face, whipping back into Fireleaf's herb storage. Grasping a pod of poppy seeds in her teeth, she slides back into the main den where the sick cats are. "Do you need any of these?" she mumbles against the dried, leafy substance of the poppy seed pod.<br>Fireleaf looks up, nodding. "Yes, please." Taking the poppy seeds from Thunderpaw, he sets them down and gives his pad a few good licks. "So that the poppy seeds stick to my paw." he adds to Thunderpaw informatively.  
>Raintail sits watching Brambleshadow quietly. Will he make it? she wonders.<br>Specklewind leans forward to shake three poppy seeds from the pod. Thunderpaw watches as Fireleaf presses his wet pad to the poppy seeds. He brings up his paw to show them to his apprentice. Then he holds them near to Blackclaw.  
>"No, no!" heat is pouring from Blackclaw.<br>"He's having hallucinations because his fever's so high." Specklewind mews, grabbing some lavender. The two medicine cats give the poppy seeds and lavender to the patchy cat, and he finally calms down. Specklewind also gives him a tad bit of the special mixture. He falls into a restless doze in a moss nest.  
>Raintail has sat watching this process for what could have been a heartbeat or a moon. Specklewind is actually making her Clanmates better!<p> 


End file.
